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Member ExclusiveMedia Briefing: A timeline of media unions’ actions this quarter
Media unions are working to get contracts signed by the end of the year, and are using strikes, pickets and rallies to try and accomplish those goals.
BuzzFeed, Hearst, other publishers, replace lavish holiday parties with more subdued celebrations
BDG, BuzzFeed, Hearst and The Washington Post will host in-person holiday parties this year, though they will not be the stereotypical soirées.
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: The latest media agency estimates for 2023 revenue are out and they remain, well, upbeat
Two holding company media agency analysts continue to hold a more positive, if slightly tempered outlook on 2023 given strong results for 2022.
SponsoredHow Comscore is simplifying pre- and post-campaign measurement for advertisers
Produced in partnership with Marketecture The following article provides highlights from an interview between Greg Dale, Comscore’s general manager of digital, and Mike Shields, co-founder of Marketecture. Register for free to watch more of the discussion and learn how advanced advertising measurement is providing advertisers access to the deep data they need across all platforms. […]
The case for and against publishers continuing holiday-specific commerce coverage post-Black Friday weekend
Black Friday is over but publishers are up in the air about whether or not to continue covering holiday sales in the lead up to the holidays.
Why PMG’s Nike win doesn’t seem all that unusual for the indie media agency
The Texas-based independent agency continues to grow its roster of clients after landing Nike's media AOR business for North America.
Next year’s upfront week schedule is already starting to take shape, with NBC taking the stage on Monday, followed by ABC on Tuesday, and Netflix on Wednesday.
Netflix hosting an upfront event for advertisers in 2012? It’s not as crazy as it sounds, despite the company’s very public declarations that it has no interest in the ad business. CEO Reed Hastings and his team ought to reconsider his position on advertising, considering how lucrative the TV market continues to be, and the fact that a “network” like Netflix which reaches 23 million users and counting — a reach that is in short supply even in the broadcast business these days.
Buyers are betting that Netflix — despite a $250 stock price, a surging subscriber base and revenue north of $2 billion last year — will become an upfront player sooner rather than later.
“When does Netflix get into the ad business, that’s the million-dollar question, my friend — been thinking about that one for a while,” said Vik Kathuria managing partner, corporate strategy and digital investment at MediaCom.
“I’m guessing at some point when content costs become prohibitive and they are going up against deep-pocketed competitors like Amazon and Apple.”
Content costs are already soaring, particularly given Netflix’s recent eye-popping $100 deal to acquire House of Cards , a Kevin Spacey thriller which in the past would have likely fallen into the hands of an HBO or Showtime. Netflix is clearly going after more original content; talk prior to the upfront was that Netflix might save NBC’s The Event (it didn’t). The New York Post reported earlier this week that Netflix is talking to Scripps and others about acquiring shows.
Beyond content costs, Netflix’s Web streaming costs are said to be approaching $2 billion a year. The company is getting to a place where the majority of its revenue could be soaked up in operational costs, despite its rapid growth.
So wouldn’t a few hundred million or more in ad revenue help a ton? And isn’t that well within reach, considering that fourth-place NBC last year brought in $2.4 billion?
Justin Patterson, senior analyst with investment bank Morgan Keegan, isn’t buying it.
“They’ve been pretty adamant against advertising,” he said. “As the business grows larger and larger, with more subscribers per household and globally, the price paid for content deals becomes less and less. When you spend 2 billion on streaming, $100 million for a show isn’t crazy. For the most part, Netflix has been very intelligent about purchasing content.”
And Patterson sees plenty of untapped TV library content that Netflix can snatch up for cheap. But other analysts, incuding Wedbush Securities’ Michael Pachter, have said it’s vital for Netflix to differntiate with premium original shows to compete with HBO and other networks.
That’s where advertising would provide an ideal cash infusion — and the perfect vehicle to promote new Netflix series. While the company is praised for its custom algorithm that powers its recommendation engine, there’s no guaranteee that engine will promote House of Cards, or any other series Netflix acquires, enough to make it worth the company’s while. After all, the company will likely soon find that it’s a lot easier to promote a new show to 10 million potential viewers in one shot during Grey’s Anatomy than in a Netflix queue.
But what if everybody, Netflix subscriber or not, could stream the House of Cards premiere, brought to you by Ford? Couldn’t the company count on hooking at least a few hundred thousand new subscribers while earning a nice bit of revenue?
Or what if Netflix subscribers could get a free month or two each time they agreed to sample new series premieres? We’ve already seen efforts to induce consumers to watch ads for virtual currency. Netflix credits sound pretty good.
The trick, of course, would be to not overload Netflix’s content with ads. Suddenly running 30-second spots prior to every movie would be suicide, causing subscriber outrage. But done gradually, it’s likely that Netflix users would grow accustomed to some level of advertising. People over 30 will remember a time when going to the movies meant an escape from ads — those days are long gone, but people still go to the movies in droves.
Patterson isn’t convinced — yet.
“If it becomes the case that House of Cards becomes unprofitable, they’ll probably back off,” he said. “But the real question is, what happens with YouTube’s movie service, which is lackluster right now, get more serious?”
Digiday Top Stories


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This year’s fashion week started on Thursday the 17th August, and went on till Saturday the 19th. It was held at the “Mall of Africa”, in Midrand. The set-up was good as usual. On entrance, a showcase of Mercedes Benz, with one black, and one white mean coupe’s. Following that was a red carpet and a black backdrop banner with title sponsors.
This year’s Fashion week was more than just fashion, entrepreneur were given pop-up stores around the mall . Guest Speakers were given a platform to talk and to engage with the audience about creative, and digital marketing topics.
David Tlale showed up alongside his team of interns of a popular TV show “The Interns”, who were showing their pieces as well.
Some of Other well known designers who showed their collections at this years event were, Gavin Rajah, Thulani Sindi, Khosi Nkosi, Quiteria & George, and many more.
“MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK JOBURG 2017” – VIDEO.

domain: news


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The American technology company Microsoft became the second American company in history, after Apple, to reach a market capitalization of 2,000 billion dollars yesterday.
Microsoft’s stock went on the New York Stock Exchange during trading to $265.79, above the $265.55 needed to break the highly symbolic $2,000 billion market cap. Later, the share lost some value again, and Microsoft had to hand in its membership again.
The stock closed the trading day on the Nasdaq index at $ 265.51. It is already up more than 19 percent this year.
Microsoft was founded in April 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Satya Nadella, who has headed Microsoft since 2014, has transformed it from a software-focused company to a cloud services company.
It took 33 years after Microsoft’s IPO to hit the $1 trillion market cap, but only about two years to make it to $2,000 billion.
Apple became the first American company to break the symbolic barrier last year and is now worth about $2,200 billion.
Companies like Amazon (1,800 billion dollars) and Google parent Alphabet Inc. (1,600 billion dollars) are also gradually knocking on the door of the exclusive club.


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A £1 million fund has been launched by Hubbub and Starbucks in a bid to remove barriers to reusable packaging in the food and beverage industry.
The bring it back fund will look to enable innovative new ideas for systems that make it easier for customers to use alternatives to single-use packaging.
It will support pilot projects that help shift people’s habits through behaviour change, incentives, research projects, new technology, innovative applications of existing technology, expansion of existing successful reuse systems, or developing entirely new service models.
The launch of the fund comes on the back of Starbucks and Hubbub’s ongoing initiatives to drive the uptake of reuse – including the cup, cup and away campaign at Gatwick Airport, which gave customers the option to borrow a disposable cup in favour of a standard container.
Both organisations said they have hopes that the fund will also seek to address barriers to reuse identified in a 2019 Hubbub survey. It found that 29% worry reusable containers might not be clean or hygienic, whilst 31% think they may cost more, with 28% believing it is an inconvenience to carry a reusable container.
Alongside this, Hubbub said that reuse and refill have been set back by the Covid-19 pandemic – with one in five people worried about catching Covid from reusable items, such as cups and cutlery. This is in spite of a statement signed in 2020 by 125 scientists from across the globe to reassure both businesses and consumers that reusable containers do not increase the chance of virus transmission and are safe to use.
Hubbub and Starbucks confirmed that up to five projects will each receive grants of between £150,000 to £300,000 for a year, with applications open on May 11 and closing at 17:00 on June 24.
Gavin Ellis, director of Hubbub said, “We have all seen so much more single-use plastic in our everyday lives over the last couple of years that I think many people have become desensitised to it – it’s become the norm. We urgently have to tackle this major environmental problem and it’s crucial that we reassure the public that reusables – which are the main solution to this issue – are safe and easy to use and can save you money in the long-term.
“We’re looking for innovators with pioneering new approaches to challenge single-use packaging in the food and drink sector. If you feel you have a solution to support reusable packaging systems for food and drink products, and remove barriers for users and businesses, we want to hear about it.”
Alex Rayner, general manager at Starbucks UK, added, “We’re proud of our continued partnership with Hubbub and the launch of the Bring It Back Fund marks our next milestone together as we continue to explore new ways to inspire and encourage customers to reuse.
“As we work to make reusability the only option, long-term, the fund will provide solutions that will benefit the entire food and beverage industry. The launch of the fund will work in conjunction with Starbucks existing reusables work, including the 25p reusable cup discount, 5p cup charge, in-store recycling, and new returnable cup program, to advance widespread adoption of reusables as we work to become resource positive and reduce waste by 50 percent by 2030.”


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Top executives of Pixar Animation Studios have received stock-option grants priced at the shares' annual lows, according to a media report Tuesday.
According to a review of proxy statements for Pixar, which was acquired by Walt Disney Co. DIS, -0.79% this year, executives received these grants in four years between 1997 and 2003, The Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition. See Wall Street Journal story (subscription required).
The report added that Steve Jobs, founder of the animation company and chief executive of Apple Computer Inc., did not receive Pixar options, while Edwin Catmull, a Pixar co-founder, received one of the grants.
Last week, Apple AAPL, +1.11% said it would delay filing its quarterly report and would likely have to restate several years' results due to possible discrepancies in how it issued options between 1997 and 2001. See full story. The company has said one of the grants in question was issued to Jobs, but later canceled and resulted in no financial gain for him.


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We now know that the two-day event will kick off Oct. 13, and the retail giant is advertising early deals.
Here’s what else we know now about what has been dubbed by Wirecutter as the “Strangest Prime Day in History.” Yahoo Money tapped Nathan Burrow, deals expert for Wirecutter, for some of the answers.
Do I have to be an Amazon Prime member to get Prime Day sales?
The most economical option is an annual membership at $119. Members also have the option to pay $12.99 per month, which comes out to $155.88 for the year. Discounts are available for students and EBT and Medicaid recipients.
What are the best Prime Day sales?
“Last year we saw savings that ran the gamut from electronics and major appliances to small household items,” Burrow said. “We expect similar products to be on sale this year. Look out for deals on Amazon devices, including Fire tablets and TV streaming sticks, Echo smart speakers, and Kindles.”
Amazon isn’t limiting discounts exclusively to branded items. Deals are rumored to include products from Apple, Dyson, Roomba, and Instant Pot, with products ranging from TVs, toys, games, vacuums, apparel, kitchen appliances, and home security systems.
Will the Prime Day deals be as good as last year’s?
Yes, Burrow predicts. The slate of deals from yesteryears will roughly stay the same, but certain product categories are still recovering from the supply chain breakdown brought on by the pandemic.
“It’s very possible we won’t see deals at all for certain products that we’ve historically seen sales for like adjustable dumbbells,” Burrow said. “Rather, we’ll be hoping just to see them in stock.”
Industry-experts are also interested to see if Amazon will address the loss of certain products or deals with consolation items for shoppers.
“They may opt to mix things up,” he said.
What Prime Day deals can I get now?
To whet the appetites of shoppers, Amazon is honoring Prime Day prices with steep discounts on certain products in advance of Oct. 13. Right now, shoppers can score $100 off electronics like a 43" Toshiba TV with Amazon Fire integration for $180, a Fire TV Recast for $130, $60 off a certified refurbished Ring video doorbell pro, $80 off a certified refurbished second-generation Echo Show, and $70 off a Shark ION Robot vacuum.
There are also early deals to expand your digital library like a year’s worth of Audible for $99, down from $150, movies as low as $0.99 in the Prime Video store, and six months of Kindle Unlimited for $30, down from $60.
Prime members can also get up to 40% discounts on Amazon house clothing brands like Amazon Essentials, Goodthreads, and Daily Ritual.
What is the average discount for a Prime Day deal?
A fair assumption is 20%, Burrow said. Even if you see deals marked 60% or 70% off, that’s not really accurate, he warned,
“Those deals are nearly always framed in terms of an elevated MSRP or high initial asking price,” he said.
Should consumers complete their holiday shopping via Prime Day?
“There’s so much uncertainty swirling right now that buying early is advisable if you have any concerns,” he said.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have “slightly better pricing” in certain product categories, but Prime Day pricing will be “roughly equivalent,” he said. Plus, you don’t have to worry if your item is in stock and on sale during these sales, or if shipping delays could impact you.
“That peace of mind is worth a few bucks to me,” Burrow said.
What are the best (and worst) purchases for Prime Day this year?
If you’re looking to delegate more household tasks to Alexa, Burrow said that Prime Day is a golden opportunity to buy Amazon-branded devices and Amazon-owned brands like Eero or Ring. Newer devices like Echo Buds and Amazon Halo fitness tracker are also forecasted to be on sale.
“The worst purchases on Prime Day will probably be really hastily made decisions,” Burrow said.
“Things like countdown clocks/flash sales drive a sense of urgency that can lead us to buy before asking ourselves how this item fits into our lives,” he said, “or even whether the product in question is worth our time or money at all.”
Can you share any shopping hacks for getting the best Prime Day deal?
Add yourself to a waitlist for Lightning Deal items you missed: If an item that “sold out” never went through checkout, you get an alert and may be able to snap it up.
Add items you have your eye on to a wishlist via an “Add to List” button: You can adjust your settings on your Amazon app, so you get a push notification when an item becomes available.
“If you're willing to do the additional legwork, you can try online chat for Best Buy price matches or the Walmart customer care line to see if they'll honor a competitor's online price,” Burrow said, “though there are ample exceptions.”
Read more information and tips in our Spending section


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France's CNIL data privacy regulator said on Thursday it had fined two Google units a total of €100 million ($121 million) and an Amazon subsidiary €35 million for breaching rules on online trackers.
According to the statement issued by the CNIL, Google committed two breaches of the French Data Protection Act, including using cookies without obtaining prior consent, and not providing enough information to users.
The CNIL said it had also fined US e-commerce giant Amazon for breaching the same rules.
The regulator said the fines were "for having placed advertising cookies on the computers of users… without obtaining prior consent and without providing adequate information."
When a user visited a page on the site, "a large number of cookies used for advertising purposes was automatically placed on his or her computer, before any action required on his or her part," the statement said.
Insufficient information on data use
Google stopped placing cookies on the computers of users without consent in September, but still does not provide a sufficient explanation of their use, the CNIL statement said.
The companies failed to provide clear information to internet users about how the two firms intended to make use of such online trackers, and how visitors to their website could refuse any use of the cookies, the CNIL statement said.
"In the case of a user visiting the website amazon.fr, the information provided was neither clear nor complete."
The CNIL said the online giants had three months to change the information banners. If they failed to do so, they would face an additional fine of €100,000 per day until the modifications are made.
The penalty against Google is the most substantial that the regulator has ever issued, a spokesman told Reuters news agency. The previous record fine of €50 million also targeted the company for breaching EU data privacy rules.
lc/sms (AFP, Reuters)


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Identity Theft Crimes by the Numbers
A new study was just released that looked at the instances of identity theft in 2016. This research shows that a whopping $16 billion was stolen that year, and it affected 15.4 million people. This is concerning because in 2015, the numbers were lower: $15.3 billion stolen and 13.1 million affected.
You might think this only comes from credit card fraud, but it doesn’t. Additionally, it comes from new account fraud. This is when a cybercriminal opens a new financial account by using stolen personal information, such as a name and Social Security number, from their victims.
Fraud Complaints and the New Identity Theft
The Consumer Sentinel Network, which is a part of the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has been tracking instances of fraud and identity theft complaints.
- There were 3.1 million complaints logged in 2016, and 1.3 million of those were fraud related.
- These instances cost consumers almost $745 million.
- The highest reported complaint category was debt collection complaints at 66 percent of all fraud complaints.
- 13 percent of all complaints were due to identity theft.
Becoming Aware of Cybercrime
As more businesses depend on computer networks and electronic data for day-to-day tasks, more personal information is also being sent. This, of course, leaves information exposed to cybercriminals and sets companies up for data breaches.
All companies are at risk for this, even those that might seem impenetrable:
- In 2015, both Anthem and Premera Blue Cross were breached. This breach exposed the personal data of more than 90 million people.
- The U.S. Government has also been breached several times and over several departments. Approximately 22 million people were affected.
- The instances of breaches are growing year after year. There were 780 in 2015 and 1,093 in 2016.
- Cybercriminals are mostly targeting businesses, but medical/healthcare companies made up 34.5 percent of the total breaches in 2016. The education industry made up 9 percent of all breaches, and the U.S. government/military made up 6.6 percent of all breaches.
- As of December 27, 2017, there have been 1,339 breaches over the year, and 174 million personal records were exposed.
The actual release of data is only part of the story, however. These breaches also affect these companies financially. In 2014, the Center for Strategic and International Studies partnered with McAfee to release the following information:
- Worldwide losses from cybercrimes ranged from $375 billion to $575 billion.
- The average cost of cybercrime in 2015 was $15 million, which rose from $12.7 million in 2014.
- The costs per company ranged from $1.9 million to $65 million.
To combat this, there has been a rise among insurance companies offering cyber insurance. There are more than 60 companies offering cybercrime insurance, which made up about $2.75 billion written premiums in 2015. In 2016, this number rose to $3.25 billion.
Identity Theft on the Rise
No matter how you look at it, identity theft is definitely on the rise. According to the Javelin Strategy & Research report, in 2015, identity thieves had 1.5 million victims, which was doubled from 2014.
With the introduction of chip cards, it was thought by many people that these numbers would fall. However, cybercriminals are crafty, and instead of simply focusing on credit cards, they got creative and looked into different opportunities. Honestly, all an identity thief needs is your Social Security number and the door is wide open. Once they find that, the rest of the necessary information, such as a name and address, is easy to find. They use this information to open new accounts in the victim’s names, and the following scenarios can happen:
- Months, or even years, pass without the victim realizing there are bank or credit card accounts opened in their name.
- Some victims never find out that their information has been compromised.
- It’s also totally possible that the banks don’t even realize that these accounts are fraud.
One of the most popular scams out there that identity thieves love is to create a fake identity. This, too, is quite crafty though. They basically create an identity partially based on stolen information and partially made up. So, for instance, they might use your Social Security number, but a made-up address and name. This is called a synthetic ID. Banks don’t even realize it’s happening, and cybercriminals know it’s difficult to catch them in the act.
Crimes Using Synthetic IDs
There are two ways that cybercriminals use this information. First is called ID manipulation, which is where they use a stolen identity, but fill it out with made up information. This helps them to avoid getting caught. The second thing they might do is called quick synthetics. This is when they take information from a number of real victims, and then use that information to create a single, new identity.
How Can Banks Stop This?
Though it’s difficult to detect, there are some things that banks can do to stop these crimes:
- Start analyzing cell phone data to see if there are any noticeable patterns. Many cybercriminals use prepaid VoIP phones that they can simply throw out.
- Look at email history. New email addresses for old accounts are often a sign of fraud. It is also a sign of fraud if an email address doesn’t match up with a customer’s mobile device.
- Engage companies like ID Analytics, which “score” client data based on known legitimate records.
How Can Credit Card Issuers Stop This?
Credit card issuers can also take steps to stop this type of crime:
- Do more thorough identity checks before issuing credit.
- Look for red flags, i.e., the same address for multiple customers.
- Do more than one risk assessment. If there is a change after a couple of days, it’s a sign that there could be something wrong.
How Can You Stop This?
Synthetic identity theft is difficult to pinpoint sometimes. For instance, an identity thief might be using your Social Security number, but not your name. This means you might never realize that you are a victim. But, there are things you can do to keep yourself safe:
The takeaway here is that both banks and credit card companies have to do a better job at not only monitoring accounts but also approving new accounts. Though you can do a small part yourself, they have to step up to the plate, too.


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Federal regulations haven’t been issued for cannabidiol (CBD) yet, but that’s not stopping Americans from utilizing the cannabis compound, according to a survey released by Gallup on Aug. 7, 2019.
In fact, 1 in 7 Americans, or 14%, report using some form of CBD, primarily for therapeutic purposes.
The poll, which involved phone interviews with more than 2,500 adults from June 19 to July 12, illustrates the wide appeal of CBD nationwide since the 2018 Farm Bill was approved in December 2018, federally legalizing hemp and derivatives such as CBD.
Though young adults and people living in the West are the most likely to use CBD (20 and 21%, respectively), people from all demographics and regions are evidently partaking. Almost 1 in 10 individuals 65 or older use CBD, for example. And 13% of people from the South reported using the non-intoxicating ingredient, compared with 11% in both the Midwest and East.
Gallup also asked respondents about what they use CBD for and found that vast majority take it for medical purposes: 40% said they use CBD for pain, 20% for anxiety, 11% for sleep, 8% for arthritis, 5% for headaches and 5% for stress.
(The percentages in the chart don’t add up to 100 due to some respondents using CBD for multiple conditions.)
Overall, therapeutic uses accounted for about 90% of all responses, with just 5% total reporting recreational CBD consumption.
The survey offers another example of the explosive growth of the CBD industry and the strong interest among Americans in finding alternatives to pharmaceuticals for the treatment of various conditions, particularly pain.
— GallupNews (@GallupNews) August 7, 2019
But while CBD products are turning up everywhere — in grocery stores, dispensaries, gas stations, online, pet shops, and more — the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still in the process of developing rules to allow for marketing in the food supply or as dietary supplements. And so while access isn’t a problem, the agency has stressed that selling CBD products in that way isn’t currently permitted, though FDA is prioritizing enforcement against CBD companies that make unsanctioned claims about the therapeutic benefits of the products.
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post in July 2019 calling for the speedy development of CBD regulations so the agency can “fulfill its public-health obligations and meet the political demand for these goods.”
This article has been republished from Marijuana Moment under a content syndication agreement. Read the original article here.
Featured Image: Cannabidiol (CBD) has quickly taken hold in the American marketplace. According to a survey released Aug. 7, 2019, by Gallup, 14% of Americans, or 1 in 7, say they use CBD. The majority use it to treat pain or other medical conditions. Only 5% said they use CBD recreationally. (Photo via Shutterstock)


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0.0177 0.00 (2.91%)
After hours: 7:58PM EDT
|Bid||0.0171 x 1000|
|Ask||0.0177 x 28000|
|Day's Range||0.0169 - 0.0194|
|52 Week Range||0.0100 - 4,485.0000|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||-1.98|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||N/A|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||3,000.00|
At the direction of New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood, MoviePass parent company Helios and Matheson is now the subject of a fraud probe in New York state. "We've launched a securities fraud investigation into @MoviePass’ parent company," Underwood confirmed in a tweet.
MoviePass's owner Helios and Matheson is allegedly under investigation for misleading investors, marking the latest in a series of setbacks for the cinema subscription service. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood has opened a probe into the company using the anti-fraud statute known as the Martin Act, CNBC has learned. Investigators are examining Helios and Matheson's financial disclosures, which could lead to civil or criminal charges.
The company that runs the beleaguered MoviePass discount service for movie tickets is being investigated by the New York Attorney General on allegations that it misled investors. Helios and Matheson has struggled financially and is facing class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of investors claiming the company failed to disclose aspects of a business model that were unsustainable. MoviePass drew in millions of subscribers, luring them with a $10 monthly rate.
The probe of parent company Helios & Matheson Analytics Inc., opened under the state’s powerful Martin Act, was confirmed Thursday in a tweet by New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood. “My office is committed to protecting New York investors and the integrity of our financial markets,” Underwood said in the tweet.
The investigation into Helios and Matheson Analytics (NASDAQ:HMNY) comes from New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood. The attorney general is using the Martin Act to investigate the company for possibly misleading investors of HMNY stock. The MoviePass owner says that it is indeed aware of the investigation from New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood.
At issue is whether the majority owner of the movie subscription service misled investors about its financials.
Check out the companies making headlines after the bell: Helios and Matheson Analytics HMNY , MoviePass' parent company, stock fell as much as 4 percent during after-hours trading on Wednesday. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood has opened an investigation into the company for possibly misleading investors about its financials, a source told CNBC.
New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood has opened a probe into Helios and Matheson Analystics Inc. , Moviepass's parent company, according to a report on CNBC Wednesday that cited people familiar with the matter. The attorney general's office is investigating whether the company misled investors regarding its finances, and the probe is in its early stages, the report said. MoviePass was once seen as the next big thing in film viewing, but the company burned through cash after slashing its subscriber fees and analysts have raised concerns about the sustainability of its business model. Shares of Helios and Matheson fell 5% in the extended session, and ended the regular trading day up 3.6% to end at less than a penny a piece.
It's another stumble for MoviePass, which in recent months has repeatedly adjusted its movie subscription plans and taken out hefty loans to cover massive losses.
MoviePass™ the nation’s leading movie theater subscription service and parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. (HMNY) announced today that it has named Maayan Nave as Executive Director and President of Global Communications. Nave will lead all marketing, strategic communications and public relations initiatives for HMNY, MoviePass, MoviePass Films and MoviePass Ventures with existing communications teams in New York and California.
The company has greenlit its second film, a 17th-century horror flick called “The Reckoning” directed by Neil Marshall (“The Descent”).


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The World Gold Council (WGC) has released its Q3 Gold Demand Trends for 2016, highlighting a 21% year-on-year fall in gold jewellery demand to 493.1t.
According to the report this is the largest decline since Q2 2014 and the lowest third quarter for jewellery demand since 2011 – a time when average gold prices were some 28% higher than recent levels.
In addition, year-to-date jewellery demand is 18% down on last year: 1,423.6t vs 1,732.7t. This is the lowest Q1–Q3 total since 2009.
The WGC pins high prices as the key reason for continued weakness in the jewellery sector, which has been severely depressed throughout 2016 so far. Barring just three or four very minor exceptions, jewellery demand fell in every consumer market that the WGC track.
However, while persistently high prices discouraged consumers from around the globe, sterling-based prices were the exception, given weakness in that currency following the referendum decision for Britain to leave the EU.
Looking ahead, the WGC believe the fourth quarter – having started on a stronger footing – should see a recovery in the jewellery sector.
The October drop in the gold price was fortuitously timed. The approach of key buying occasions, such as: the festival and wedding season in India; the main holiday season in Western markets; and Chinese New Year, make consumers in these markets more alert to lower prices.
But, the report cites, “that is not to say that we expect a clear revival”. Pressures remain as the consumer environment in European markets and the US remains hesitant.


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Transforming Customer Experience with Payments
Thanks to the emergence of services like Netflix, Uber and Amazon, which place customer experience at the centre of their proposition, consumers now expect a frictionless experience when they shop with all retailers. It’s no longer acceptable for payments to be overly complex and make the purchasing journey inconvenient.
One of the key ways retailers and businesses are working to enhance the customer experience when it comes to payments is through embracing embedded finance products. With even a small payment issue leading to customers not completing their purchase, the importance of getting payments right is major.
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, retailers who invest in innovative embedded finance solutions are well-positioned to meet often complex and ever-changing customer needs. With research from cloud banking platform Mambu finding that embedded finance will be worth $3.5 trillion to the global retail sector, it’s clear retailers have a lot to gain from embedded finance solutions.
There’s no question that the rise and rise of buy now pay later (BNPL) solutions have played a central role in supporting retailers across the world to better meet customer needs. In the past, customers on limited incomes would have faced challenges purchasing certain items and may have had to save up to buy a new jacket or home goods. But BNPL made it extremely easy for such customers to buy the item today and spread the cost over a few weeks or months.
Not only has BNPL improved conversion rates for retailers, as customers are empowered to make purchases that they otherwise would have put off, but the efficient nature of BNPL services contribute to shoppers being loyal to the retailer and becoming a repeat customer.
The unrivalled data insights that BNPL offers to retailers can also enable these businesses to create more personalised offers and deals for customers and understand their consumers on a more granular basis.
Innovations in the embedded finance space also open up new consumption patterns for retailers. As personalisation is increasingly important to consumers, embedded payment methods that enable retailers to offer flexibility to how their products and services are purchased will likely become more popular.
For example, supermarkets and food delivery companies are now able to shift delivery slots at almost a moments notice for customers and the payment solution will be able to keep up to date with these changes and update the price accordingly.
Retailers who have adopted embedded finance can also gain new insights into their customer base through the data receive about customers and use this to improve the experience. For example, electric car maker Tesla now offer new-car buyers in California the opportunity to buy insurance directly through the company via embedded finance.
Customers benefit as they are able to seamlessly get their vehicle insured, while Tesla gains a new revenue stream and also receives new data about customer insurance claims which can be used to aid them in the manufacturing process.
The opportunities are both exciting and considerable. We will continue this discussion at FTT Embedded Finance & Super Apps on 26th April, London, where we explore how retailers (and other non-financial brands) can introduce embedded payments among other offerings, in their digital ecosystem. Register now to join our community as we explore the key trends, technologies and innovations that are driving embedded finance & super apps in 2022 and beyond.
Written by Finbarr Toesland, Editorial Contributor, VC Innovations


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Gaming Icon Hideo Kojima Is Planning To Unveil New Game At Tokyo Game Show
Hideo Kojima has been teasing new games and concepts, and he has now revealed that a virtual reality project will be launched at TGS 2022.
Hideo Kojima revealed on Twitter that something VR-related will be unveiled at this year's Tokyo Game Show, or TGS. Tokyo Game Show is one of the world's largest gaming events, and this year will be the first with in-person attendance since 2019. The event, as predicted, will be an opportunity for publishers and developers to showcase new projects, including a portion from Kojima's previous company Konami.
The man himself has been very busy recently. Hideo Kojima just posted the first episode of his podcast, Brain Structure, as well as teasing some new projects he's working on. With a career spanning more than three and a half decades, his name carries a lot of weight in the business. He's been credited for helping to launch the stealth genre with the Metal Gear series, and his stories have frequently sparked debate. As a result, many people are constantly curious to see what ideas he has in store, and a new tweet suggests that there isn't much longer to wait.
The Kojima Productions creator may be seen wearing what seems to be an Oculus VR headgear in a number of photographs posted to his Twitter account. The post itself states that he has been performing a "last check" on what he refers to as "KJP" VR, which might presumably stand for Kojima Productions, although it is not specified. In any event, everything will be disclosed at some point at the Tokyo Game Show, which runs from September 14 to September 18. In the meanwhile, many will be wondering what the gaming auteur has up his sleeve.
Hideo Kojima is said to be working on a horror game named Project Overdose. Although nothing is known about this enigmatic title, there is considerable interest in Kojima creating a terrifying game, especially with the termination of P.T./Silent Hills in 2015. At this point, it is impossible to say if this is what will be disclosed or something altogether else.
There have also been rumors regarding Death Stranding 2, which arose after Norman Reedus mistakenly revealed that a sequel was in the works. Again, nothing has been verified, but the possibility to learn about Hideo Kojima's VR project is fascinating for any lover of his work. He is one of the most important game creators in the world, thus his attendance at TGS will draw a lot of attention.


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- A lawsuit filed Thursday in Illinois alleges that Walmart violated Illinois' Biometric Privacy Act.
- Facebook, now Meta, was hit with a $550 million fine in 2020 per settlement agreement after being sued under the same law.
- The lawsuit alleges that Walmart has recently used ClearView AI's "facial recognition database," which if true, would mean that Clearview violated its own recent settlement agreement under the law.
A lawsuit seeking class action status filed Thursday alleges that Walmart violated Illinois' Biometric Privacy Act by improperly using "cameras and advanced video surveillance systems," as well as the software and database provided by the facial recognition company Clearview AI.
The plaintiff — James Luthe, a citizen of Illinois — alleges that Walmart's Illinois stores have unlawfully collected, stored, and used biometric data without getting the informed written consent of him and other customers, or getting the proper data retention and destruction policies.
"Walmart's stores in Illinois are outfitted with cameras and advanced video surveillance systems that – unbeknownst to customers – surreptitiously collect, possess, or otherwise obtain Biometric Data," the filing reads. "In addition, Walmart uses software provided by Clearview AI, Inc. to match facial scans taken in its Illinois stores with billions of facial scans maintained within Clearview's massive facial recognition database."
The Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act, which protects Illinois residents from having pictures of faces sold without their consent, was cited in a suit against Facebook, now Meta. In 2020, the company was hit with a $550 million fine in a settlement agreement.
Walmart is also named in a consumer class action suit against multiple companies for allegedly using Clearview AI's facial recognition illegally under the Illinois privacy law. Other companies in the suit include Home Depot, Best Buy, Kohl's, and AT&T.
The initial filing in the suit implies that Clearview AI may have violated the terms of a settlement reached in May, coming from a suit that the American Civil Liberties Union and several other organizations filed against the company in February 2020.
Per the terms of the settlement, Clearview is not allowed to sell its database of faces — which it claims contains 20 billion faces scraped from the internet — to US-based businesses and private entities. Though, the agreement does not forbid the company from selling its software, minus the database.
The lawsuit claims that Walmart uses "Clearview's Biometric Database," and that Walmart "obtains, accesses, and uses the Biometrics in the database, including the Biometrics of Plaintiff and class members." If Walmart has used or accessed this database after Clearview's settlement, this would be a violation of the terms of the settlement.
The suit filing says that Luthe has gone to Illinois-based Walmart stores on "numerous occasions" in the past three years, including on August 14, 2022 — four months after the company reached its settlement.
"On information and belief, each Illinois Walmart location entered into by Plaintiff is equipped with a facial recognition-enabled video surveillance system," the filing says.
Clearview AI did not immediately respond for comment. A Walmart spokesperson told Insider that the company is "not a Clearview client."
"It is our understanding we briefly evaluated a demo version of their product and did not move forward with it," the spokesperson said. "We will respond with the Court as appropriate."
As reported by BuzzFeed News, Clearview AI has given its software to more than 200 private entities in the past, including Walmart, Bank of America, Equinox, and many other companies. Employees from these companies collectively ran many thousands of searches.
Got a tip? Know something we missed? Contact this reporter via email at email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org, or through secure messaging app Signal at +1 (785) 813-1084. Check out Insider's source guide for suggestions on how to share information securely.


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British Gas today announces that it is ordering 2,000 new all-electric Vivaro-e vans from Vauxhall and has introduced plans to never purchase another combustion engine vehicle. As part of its commitment to become a net-zero organisation, Centrica, owner of British Gas, has committed electrify its 12,000 strong operational fleet by 2025.
This committed to go electric is five years earlier than originally planned. Centrica will be making further orders with Vauxhall for electric vehicles (EVs) as soon as they are available. Centrica has also committed to making its 1,500 company cars electric-only in the same time frame.
In addition to the 1,000 EVs purchased last summer, the Vauxhall purchase represents the largest commercial battery EV order in the UK to date. All 3,000 EVs will be on the road by 2022. While engineers can volunteer to have the new vans during the rollout, the company is prioritising high pollution areas to help lower emissions.
British Gas engineers will install all chargers at engineers’ homes and are accelerating EV adoption in the UK for homes and businesses with charger installs and innovative EV tariffs. The company is currently increasing the EV engineer workforce through training existing engineers and recruiting new engineers. As a result, will be creating 1,000 new engineering apprenticeships by the end of 2022.
This is an impressive move towards a clean future from Centrica and smart of them to support their engineers with infrastructure, especially with such a large fleet. Hopefully, this will encourage other large companies to be forward-thinking and follow suit.
Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, said: “Everyone needs to act now to lower carbon emissions and help the UK reach net zero. We are leading from the front by not only lowering emissions for our customers and our communities, but by lowering our own emissions, and by increasing the speed at which we do this. Fully electrifying our fleet will make a big difference.
“At the same time, we are helping our customers make the switch to electric and working with motor manufacturers such as Vauxhall on services and solutions for their EV customers such as charge points, infrastructure and innovative EV tariffs with cheaper charging at night and free EV miles. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Government to create the new jobs our country needs as we all seek to build back greener.”
Paul Willcox, Managing Director of Vauxhall Motors, said: “I am delighted that British Gas has added to its initial order of fully-electric Vauxhall Vivaro-e vans that now represents the largest EV order for a commercial fleet in the UK. The strength of the quantity of orders for our all-electric van demonstrates that the Vauxhall Vivaro-e can contribute towards the transition towards low emissions vehicles whilst improving air quality.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s encouraging to see that one of Britain’s best-known brands is leading the way with the largest commercial EV fleet in the UK. This is a huge step as we build back greener, lower our carbon footprint and deliver better air quality up and down the country. With more zero-emission models of cars and vans on the market than ever before, there has never been a better time for drivers and businesses to make the switch.”


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TOKYO—Japan’s first-quarter preliminary gross domestic product grew 4.9 percent on an annualized basis in the latest indication that the world’s second-largest economy is on the path to recovery.
This is the fourth straight quarter of growth for Japan. The country’s GDP advanced 1.2 percent compared to the fourth quarter of last year. Exports in the January to March period surged 30.5 percent on an annualized basis.
The Japanese government often revises preliminary GDP figures several months later.
Japan’s economic stagnation has been rough on luxury goods and fashion companies but there are signs that the market is beginning to stabilize. Yano Research Institute Ltd. said Wednesday that sales of imported clothing and accessories in Japan tumbled a record 15.9 percent last year but sales growth in 2010 is expected to inch up less than one percentage point.
Yano attributed 2009’s drop- the largest on record- to the worldwide economic slump and stagnant consumer spending in the country. Sales of imported clothing and accessories in Japan last year totaled 894.6 billion yen, or $9.57 billion at average exchange for the period, Yano said. This is less than half the size of the market when it was at its peak in 1996 and served as a cash cow for luxury brands. Sales in 2010 are seen coming in at 902.8 billion yen, or $9.75 billion at current exchange.
Yano, which surveyed trading companies and luxury goods houses for its research, predicts that accessible luxury brands and trendsetting high-end fashion brands are becoming increasingly popular. The company also points to growth in the casual apparel market.
Brian Salsberg, a principal at McKinsey & Company, Japan and leader of the consumer, retail and apparel practice, also noted an uptick in sentiment.
"While few see a full recovery to post Lehman-shock levels, most Japan-based luxury industry executives we spoke with over the past few months are at least cautiously optimistic that this year will be better than last year,” he said.
"An early review of our most recent consumer research on Japanese luxury goods consumers suggest that they are somewhat more upbeat--but also a lot more discerning and value-oriented vis-a-vis this category than they were even one to two years ago,” Salsberg said.
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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Florida leads nation in fraud complaints
Florida ranks first in the country in the number of fraud complaints last year, with nearly 1,000 complaints per 100,000 people
A large population of older residents who are considered more vulnerable to scams and a great number of foreclosures are among the reasons for the state’s number of fraud complaints, according to 24/7 Wall St., which based its statistics on information in the Federal Trade Commission’s annual Consumer Sentinel Report.
Identity theft was the most common complaint nationwide, with filing false government documents such as tax returns the most widespread form of identity theft and a major problem in the Tampa Bay area.
Of the 40,000 complaints of identity theft statewide last year, more than half involved government documents and benefits. Florida had the most identity theft complaints in the country in 2012.
11806 S US Hwy 41
Gibsonton, FL 33534


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It's no secret that flagship phone values drop like rocks. None of the Galaxy S10 models have even hit store shelves in the United States yet, and yet international dual-SIM models are already being discounted on eBay. The S10 is available for $799.99 ($100 off), the S10+ for $955.87 ($44 off), and the S10e for $679.99 ($70 off).
Although there have now been three successors to the LG V30 — V30S, V35, and V40 — the phone has only been out for a bit over a year. Thus, it's pretty surprising that an AT&T unlocked version can now be had for $249.99 new, which is a lot more appealing than its $799.99 MSRP.
Two years ago, the world was a simpler place for smartphones. We hadn't yet become obsessed with notches and whether they were the "right" shape or not. In fact, we weren't even to the point yet where extra-tall screens pushed phone design to new limits. But that was just about to change, with the introduction of the LG G6. Hardware has come a long way since, but if you've still got a soft spot for this classic, today's a fantastic day to pick one up, with open-box SIM-unlocked LG G6 handsets going for just $170 on eBay. Read More
This year eBay has been aggressively pushing sitewide discount codes from 10-20% off, though the window to use them is short. Today we have another: 15% off up to a maximum $100 discount. The catch (and there always is at least one) is that you'll have to use it before 6:00 PM Pacific Time tonight. Read More
Between the recent Google Express 15% off sale and eBay's repeated site-wide coupons, there have been some great deals this holiday season. If you're not done shopping yet, eBay just released another coupon. 'PICKUPSALE' takes 10% off all tech products, and 15% off everything else. Read More
If you recently upgraded to a headphone jack-less phone and you don't want to spend much on Bluetooth headphones, today might be your lucky day. Right now, JBL's T450BT on-ear Bluetooth headphones can be purchased for $29.95 — a $20 drop from the usual price. Read More
At an MSRP of $1,000, the Galaxy Note9 is one of those phones that many wait for discounts on to pick up. We've seen the Exynos dual-SIM model discounted a few times in the past, but this price of $649.99 on eBay is the lowest we've seen yet.
eBay has been pushing out quite a lot of short-term discounts in the last year, and just in time for your final pre-Black Friday purchases, we have another. Until 8PM tonight, you can get 15% off your purchase up to a maximum $100 discount via a coupon code. But there's one major catch: you have to make the purchase via the eBay app. Read More
It's that time of year, folks. The holidays are nigh upon us, which means it's time for all those retailers to do their darndest to get you to give them money. This deal is on the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14, a 2-in-1 ChromeOS laptop with stylus support. Best Buy is knocking $50 off the $599.99 MSRP. Read More
The Galaxy S10 is likely only a few months away, so we're starting to see even better deals on this year's model. Right now, you can get the dual-SIM variant of the Galaxy S9+ on eBay for just $599.99. That's roughly $120 less than the US unlocked model on Amazon. Read More


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Peerless celebrates 60 years of selling tires
What better way to celebrate your 60th anniversary than with a store opening? The new Peerless Tires 4 Less store in South West Albuquerque, N.M., gives Peerless Tyre Co. 59 stores in seven states.
In addition to tires, wheels and batteries, the store offers gasoline sold under the company’s private brand U-Pump-It name.
Peerless Tires 4 Less outlets sell Peerless, Bridgestone, Hankook and Cordovan tires.
The company was founded in 1949 in a Denver suburb as a two-pump gas station that “sold a lot of tires,” according to President Sam Forbes. Still Denver based and family owned, Peerless Tires 4 Less has become one of the largest retail tire dealers in the United States.
Peerless Tyre Co. is the 14th largest independent tire dealer in the U.S., according to the Modern Tire Dealer 100 list.
The company continues to look for opportunities to expand in the Rocky Mountains, adds Forbes.
For more information, visit www.peerlesstireco.com.


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BREITBART – At least seven border crossers, all from Venezuela, were arrested in the sanctuary state of Illinois over the Thanksgiving holiday for allegedly shoplifting from various stores.
The first incident, days before Thanksgiving on November 16, saw 18-year-old Neikis Yeimily Salazar and 23-year-old Alexander Saul Martinez Lima arrested and each charged with one count of felony retail theft after allegedly shoplifting Christmas items at a Hobby Lobby in Deerfield, Illinois.
According to police, the two Venezuelan border crossers entered the Hobby Lobby and loaded nearly $900 worth of Christmas items into their shopping carts before allegedly leaving the store without paying for the items.
When police responded to the report of shoplifting, the pair had been pushing the shopping carts to a nearby motel. Eventually, officers recovered 104 Christmas items that the border crossers had allegedly stolen.
After being charged, Salazar and Lima were each released from jail and are due back in court on December 29.
In a separate incident in Elmhurst, Illinois, 37-year-old Ilys Mary Ledesma Zapata, 21-year-old Christian Johan Saavedra-Omona, and 33-year-old Braud Pineda Avendano — all newly arrived border crossers from Venezuela — were arrested and each charged with one count of felony burglary and one count of retail theft.
According to DuPage County prosecutors, the three border crossers shoplifted from a Kohl’s store more than $500 worth of items on November 24.
When police arrested the trio for shoplifting at the store, they recovered a large magnet device on Ledesma Zapata used to get around anti-theft technology.
Ledesma Zapata, Saavedra-Omona, and Pineda Avendano were released from jail despite DuPage County prosecutors asking them to be detained because they posed a flight risk …


text: A common issue in the beauty industry is finding brands that make a conscious effort to cater to all skin tones, particularly those on the deeper end of the spectrum. While many brands expand their shade ranges post-launch, it’s less common to come across brands who support nearly every skin tone in the first go. Indie brand, APDG, however, gets it right. The brand’s buzziest offering, the Longwear Liquid Pigments, $18, come in over 30 shades and claim to be sweat and water resistant — making them a great makeup option for summer. These foundations, and the picture that set the internet ablaze, have been around for a few months but after popping up in the MakeupAddiction subreddit, the internet (rightfully so) got excited all over again.


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Chairman Donald Trump given a manager step pausing scholar-loan costs until , but inquiries remain throughout the their execution. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Photographs.
Chairman Donald Trump offered the newest stop on the repayments and you may appeal to own particular federal figuratively speaking within a slew regarding pandemic-associated executive tips granted Friday, however, concerns are on how brand new pause could well be followed and several borrower advocates say it generally does not wade much sufficient in providing meaningful rescue.
Included in the CARES Act, the fresh new coronavirus rescue plan enacted within the March, Congress frozen costs and you may stuff and you may waived attention towards federal pupil money held of the Institution of Knowledge. One to pause is actually arranged to expire towards the Sept. 31, from the 1 month up until the Presidential election.
Within his memo so you’re able to Assistant off Studies Betsy DeVos, leading their to implement brand new administrator step, Trump composed that it’s “appropriate” to increase brand new CARES Work coverage “up until such as for example day the savings enjoys stabilized, colleges features re-unwrapped, as well as the drama triggered by the fresh COVID-19 pandemic features subsided.”
This new memo claims that fee stop and you may attention waiver with the figuratively speaking stored because of the Agency off Studies will stay up until .
Though it looks obvious one to pupil-mortgage consumers that has the repayments paused and you may desire waived because of the CARES Operate can keep you to stop courtesy the termination of the season, “i still have many unanswered issues right here,” said Ben Miller, vice president getting postsecondary knowledge in the centre to have American Advances, a remaining-tilting think-tank.
The new Company from Education failed to instantly answer an ask for comment on the preparations having applying the fresh new executive step.
Those issues include, particularly, perhaps the paused costs tend to count to the 120 required for borrowers in order to be eligible for Public service Mortgage Forgiveness, a program that allows public servants to own its federal beginner fund forgiven shortly after 10 years regarding costs. For the payment pause months included in the CARES Act, consumers that are when you look at the a being qualified cost bundle are getting credit because if they certainly were while making punctually monthly payments.
On the other hand, it’s undecided whether consumers that defaulted on the figuratively speaking get choices paused inside the months covered by Trump’s exec action, told you Kyra Taylor, a staff attorney centering on college loans during the Federal Consumer Law Cardiovascular system. The newest CARES Act paused wage garnishment and other different unconscious collection for those consumers. However, some are still with their paychecks caught.
The brand new aspects from implementing new professional step are also nonetheless blurred, Miller told you. Commonly individuals decide into the or decide from this percentage pause? Just how usually college student-mortgage servicers, the companies rented because of the Department of Education as borrowers’ area away from get in touch with in repayment process, indeed password that it pause within their program?
At the outset of new CARES Work, these companies faced challenges applying new fee stop and you will borrower supporters was in fact currently worried they’d not be able to manage a good crush from individuals seeking to changes payment preparations just like the pause elevated. Over the past weeks, these companies was in fact preparing to changeover consumers back again to payment.
“Just like the a practical count it can clearly be much most useful and thus smoother to have Congress just to continue that which was regarding the CARES Act,” Miller told you. “You may be just seeing as exec step isn’t any replacement genuine legislation by the Congress in this instance.”
The new Republican-provided Senate proposed a good coronavirus relief package history times you to definitely incorporated a provision which may allow it to be borrowers no income to keep newest to their funds in place of while making repayments, an alternative that is currently obtainable in the college student-mortgage program. Brand new Democratic-added Domestic away from Representatives passed brand new HEROES Operate in-may, and this stretched the new CARES Work payment pause up to 2021 and you will given $10,100 off pupil loans cancellation for some individuals.
In addition to the misunderstandings related the President’s executive action, supporters said it does not go far enough to target the new challenges beginner-financing individuals are facing during this period. For starters, like the CARES Work, it simply discusses federal student education loans that will be in reality stored because of the brand new Agency off Education. That implies no less than $165 million off government figuratively speaking is actually ineligible on the fee stop, centered on Draw Kantrowitz, new author off Savingforcollege.
Even for people consumers who do be eligible for the brand new fee pause, “we are basically pushing the pain down the road,” told you Julie Margetta Morgan, vice-president off browse at the Roosevelt Institute, a modern think tank.
“What is going to happen of course, if these types of costs score put aside is the fact man’s obligations burdens is the same as they had been at the beginning of the latest pandemic, but it’s almost certainly one the capability to pay-off was likely to be considerably smaller,” she told you.
“In order to provide people real, meaningful relief and to boost the economy, we have to look for some kind of debt cancellation,” she added.


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Two weeks ago I wrote about the problems of digital cinema and crummy exhibition. In response I am getting a steady stream of calls and emails, many from studio pros telling me the problems are even worse than I’d said.
Several people had comments like those of Steve Barnett, VP of post-production at 20th Century Fox. Barnett said, “Generally, movie theaters have a very hard time making sure the product looks good up on the screen. I think that’s hurting us with our audiences.”
Meanwhile, I visited a 2D-to-3D conversion company on one of the studio lots. And while I was sitting there, watching bright, clear 3D images far better than anything I’ve seen in a multiplex lately, I realized, like I was shot in the forehead with Col. Kurtz’s diamond bullet, what the movie business needs. Theaters need to turn into Apple Stores. OK, not literally.
Both Apple and Hollywood are, to a large extent, selling design. Apple sells industrial design, and Hollywood sells the look of its movies. If acting and story are the steak in a movie, the look is the sizzle. Enormous effort and vast sums are spent polishing that look during production and post.
Then those movies, which might have cost $400 million to make and market, are shown to customers at theaters that deliver wildly uneven experiences, often nothing like what the filmmakers intended. Exhibitors commonly turn projector lamps down to save money. Andrew Poulain, director of cinema and studio programs for THX Ltd, told me, “We did a study of screen brightness when it was all 35mm. It was 33% less than what it should have been.” That problem has only been exacerbated by 3D.
The point of all that cinematography, color grading and mastering is that the picture’s look affects how the audience feels, just as acting and story do. I saw “Enchanted” at a Disney screening, then again at a multiplex in Henrietta, N.Y., with my family. On the lot, it was a glowing confection. In the multiplex, it was probably two stops darker, and a much more subdued experience for it. And that’s without 3D.
“People need to take pride in the presentation of movies,” Barnett said. “The bulbs need to be changed regularly. The light needs to be aligned every week — not the fancy calibration, just the light. I very often say to the manager, ‘Where’s your light meter?’ And he has no idea what I’m talking about.”
In the 1980s there was an attempt to establish certification for quality projection: the Theater Alignment Program. But TAP was absorbed by NATO in 1987 and quietly died. Lucasfilm started the THX certification program, which continues today as THX Ltd., but only 2,000 screens worldwide are THX certified, half in the U.S., and even THX audits theaters just once a year after they’re certified. Barnett and others are calling for a new TAP today. At the very least, a certification program with published results would give auds information about which theaters are putting more effort into presentation. That would bring market pressures to bear.
Which brings us back to Apple. A decade ago, its products were languishing in corners at Fry’s Electronics and Staples, sold by clerks who knew nothing about them. Steve Jobs’ answer was to take charge of retail via the Apple Stores, so Apple’s beautifully designed products would be shown in pristine stores by passionate salespeople. Now, its stock is up 3,000% and it’s sitting on $64 billion in cash.
The studios need theaters to be their Apple Stores, to show off the movies in the best light possible (no pun intended). Since the studios are forbidden from Apple-style vertical integration after the Supreme Court’s 1948 Paramount decision, owning the theaters is out. But self-policing is failing. So the movies need projection cops to ensure its customers get the same experience filmmakers get in screening rooms, and to give exhibitors a simplified d-cinema ecosystem that “just works.” Something run by a demanding leader intolerant of failure. Something like Apple, run by someone like Steve Jobs.


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I expect the Cius will become a collector’s item, along with the HP TouchPad and the RIM PlayBook
Cisco announced the details in advance of an event Wednesday at which some initial users and partners were expected to discuss their plans. Medical institutions were prominent on the agenda, including Nottingham University Hospitals in the U.K. and Palomar Pomerado Health, north of San Diego. Doctors and nurses have been widely discussed as potential tablet users–particularly for devices like Cius that have been promoted as having beefed-up security, a concern for institutions that must safeguard confidential patient records.
Perhaps Cisco’s biggest challenge is that iPads, though not particularly designed for such customers, are being used for work purposes by many employees and directly purchased by companies. Apple said in April that 75% of Fortune 500 companies are testing or deploying iPad within their enterprises. And, at $499 for an Wi-Fi-only model, Apple offers a lower entry price.


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By Trey Williams, MarketWatch
MoviePass, the $10-a-month subscription service allowing moviegoers to see a film a day at cinemas, has been chewed over in Hollywood — seen as both friend and foe.
The haste with which the company hit the million subscriber milestone — announcing on Dec. 20 that it had done so, just four months after lowering the subscription cost to $10 from as much as $50 — suggests consumers see MoviePass’s value.
It took Netflix, of which MoviePass Chief Executive Mitch Lowe was a founding executive and which, of course, began life as a DVDs-by-mail service, more than three years to hit the 1 million subscriber mark.
MoviePass had roughly 20,000 subscribers before the price cut, but demand for the service since has been much higher than Chief Executive Mitch Lowe expected.
However, those in the industry and others following the business are concerned that MoviePass’s model is unsustainable. The question is how a movie-theater subscription company subsidizing its members’ potentially expensive film-going habits can be profitable?
“It’s about the data,” said Ted Farnsworth, chief executive of Helios & Matheson Analytics Inc., which owns a majority stake in MoviePass.
Helios & Matheson shares /zigman2/quotes/208158842/composite HMNY +3.45% have been on a tear since the company took its majority position in August. Shares are up about 102% since that time. The stock has been volatile, too, reaching an intraday high of $38.86 per share in October, but closing Thursday at $6.90 a share.
Short seller Andrew Left warned retail investors in October that Helios & Matheson shares would fall back to $20, and that MoviePass would never be a $1 billion company.
“I’m not worried about it,” Farnsworth told MarketWatch. “He’s a short seller, so he’s got to cover his squeeze. But the bottle will stand on its own.”
Some critics of the MoviePass business are concerned the company won’t be able to make money and will flame out, further hurting already troubled theater chains, or that it will have to raise subscription prices and drive users away
When Helios & Matheson acquired MoviePass, the company also cut the price from as much as $50 a month to $9.95. But it is still shelling out the full price of tickets to studios and movie theaters.
According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the average cost of a single movie ticket was $8.65 in 2016 — and double that figure in some major U.S. cities.


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Apple has launched a new iPhone model in early summer four years in a row, but reports coming from parts suppliers in Asia indicate that the next version won’t go into production until early fall. Avian Securities became the second market analyst firm to release a note predicting the delay of the iPhone. This one says:
“Supporting our comments over the last month, conversations with yet another key component supplier indicates that production for iPhone-5 will begin in September. This is consistent with Avian findings in the supply chain in recent months and we believe the consensus view is moving towards this scenario.”
In February, FBR Capital Markets made a very similar prediction.
At this point, none of the sources for these reports have been able to give a solid reason why Apple would push back the release of its most important products by three months or more. One possible explanation could be Verizon’s very late launch of the iPhone 4. This carrier didn’t introduce the smartphone until February, so if the iPhone 5 launches in June or July, those who just bought the previous version a few months earlier might feel like they had been tricked.
Other Details on the iPhone 5
The specifications for Apple’s next-generation model have been the subject of quite a number of leaks and rumors in recent months. Among the most persistent of these is that it will have a larger display, though the screen resolution and size of the overall device are supposedly not going to change.
Most sources agree that this model is going to run iOS 5 on the Apple A5 1 GHz dual-core processor, which is debuting recently in the iPad 2. It might also be the first iPhone with an 8-megapixel camera, and also include NFC (Near Field Communications), which would allow the device to be used to make purchases at specially-equipped stores.


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Dealers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on advertising to get their phones to ring, yet many fail to invest in a process to effectively monitor the way their advertising leads are handled once a call comes into the dealership. The phone system is undoubtedly one of the biggest profit leaks a dealership consistently faces.
The phone is the primary method of customer contact before, during, and after the sale and most dealers will readily admit that their phones are not handled the way they would like. Countless sales are lost, customers are mishandled, and CSI issues go unresolved.
This industry-wide problem has some surprisingly poor statistics: 19 percent of new car sales calls never reach a sales representative, six percent of new car sales calls hang up while on hold, and 13 percent of new car sales calls are sent to voice mail with almost half of those callers electing to leave no message.
With most sales calls costing a minimum of 150 dollars to generate, dealers cannot afford to let these calls slip through the cracks. With an average of only 24 percent of all sales calls resulting in an appointment, the return on investment can be a challenge. Further studies show that 16 percent of all sales agents fail to properly identify themselves and a shocking 45 percent of all sales agents fail to get contact information from a caller, a total loss for the dealership.
It is essential that dealers invest in a call monitoring service, whether internal or by hiring a third-party specialist, to provide 24/7 call monitoring and real-time alerts directly to its management team so that any mishandled call can be followed-up with immediately.
“Not only do we have real-time alerts providing us with immediate call-to-action information to save deals and customers, we also have a live online view of all calls as they happen. With this tool we will never miss an opportunity again,” says Richard Bustillo, general manager of the Rick Case Honda Davie store.In addition to real-time alerts Rick Case Honda Davie also gets unlimited toll-free numbers, ad-tracking, daily, and weekly reports that not only help them monitor customer calls, but also enables them to track what advertising generates the biggest response from customers.
An average of 28 percent of all connected calls are ‘off-lined’ for a call back and as many as 32 percent of all appointments set have no firm appointment time which risks having the customer end up on the back burner and ultimately lost. However, with a system that provides real-time monitoring reports a dealer will be able to ensure that these types of calls are followed-up with quickly to confirm that the call turns into a firm appointment and a sale. The call monitoring service that Rick Case Honda Davie uses provides a real-time view of all calls as they happen and daily reports by 8:30 am each morning, so Bustillo can review the previous days calls over a 20-minute cup of coffee and verify that every required action was taken on the previous day’s calls.
“The Rick Case group is dedicated to measuring their customer’s experience,” says Chip King, president of CallRevu, the call monitoring company that Rick Case uses. “The best processes have the most value when they are engaged with passion. Rick Case demonstrates the ultimate in engagement and customer-centric processes and it shows.”
The phone is a dealership’s lifeline to its customers. Dealers need to sustain that lifeline with proper vigilance. More than four times as many customers call a dealership than walk-in, so it is imperative that dealers actively listen, monitor, and measure all their call activity to improve customer retention, manage CSI, and increase profits.
Implementing a call monitoring system enables a dealership to take control of incoming phone calls. Having a highly trained staff or third-party specialists available 24/7 to listen, categorize, transcribe, and summarize all phone calls and provide a detailed report every morning will allow a dealership to manage all aspects of their phone traffic.
Customers tell you every day what you need to do to improve your bottom line—all you need to do is listen.
Latest posts by dealerma
- Language Tricks to Close the Sale - January 29, 2014
- Latest Contact At Once! Mobile App Release: Text & Chat on the Go with Full Business Control - January 23, 2014
- Dealer Video Marketing Profile—Bob Kirek - January 7, 2014


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The U.S. reinstated the Superfund Excise Tax on July 1, 2022. It applies to chemicals and substances commonly used in the plastics industry. How is it impacting producers, distributors, importers and processors? Click here to read more.
M. Holland’s 3D Printing group offers a rapid response alternative for producing selected parts where resin availability is tight. For more information, email our 3D Printing team.
Market Expertise: M. Holland offers a host of resources to clients, prospects and suppliers across nine strategic markets.
Oil prices rose about 1.5% on Wednesday on news of a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. crude stocks last week.
In mid-morning trading today, WTI futures were up 1.3% at $89.27/bbl, Brent was up 1.6% at $95.14/bbl, and U.S. natural gas was up 1.0% at $9.34/MMBtu. Crude is currently trading near the lowest level in more than six months.
The average U.S. gasoline price dropped to $3.95 a gallon Tuesday, down 21% from June highs.
Annual energy inflation in the EU hit 41.1% in July and prices are up 14.1% since the start of the year.
Russia’s earnings from energy exports are expected to rise 38% this year largely due to higher export volumes to Asia. The nation’s output is forecast to decline substantially in the coming years, however.
German power supplier Uniper reported a $12.5 billion loss due to Russian gas supply cuts and has declined to give an outlook for 2022 amid continuing uncertainty.
Around 20 ships are stuck in traffic along Germany’s Rhine River, where low water levels continue to impede transport of fuel supplies and materials. Water levels are expected to return to a critical navigable level this weekend, providing some relief, as authorities consider deepening the river at key choke points.
Backups of dozens of container ships have formed off ports in New York, Houston and Savannah as U.S. importers continue seeking relief from logistics bottlenecks on the West Coast.
The Port of Los Angeles expects August imports to begin easing from record highs as retailers cancel orders in the wake of a pullback in consumer spending.
Maritime research group Xeneta says spot container rates from the Far East to the U.S. West Coast are down by one-third this year.
The Baltic Dry Index measuring pricing in the global bulk commodities market fell 5.3% last week to a six-month low.
U.S. freight railroads said Wednesday they are ready to reach contract agreements with union workers based on the White House’s new wage recommendations, potentially ending two years of negotiations affecting over 115,000 workers.
Spot truckload rates in the U.S. are down 12 cents per mile from the average rate in May, according to DAT Solutions.
The total marginal cost of trucking grew by 12.7% in 2021 to $1.855 per mile, a record-high led by higher fuel costs, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
A recent survey from Toronto-based TealBook showed inflation is now the biggest concern of sourcing and procurement executives.
Taiwanese container line Yang Ming’s first-half profit doubled to nearly $4 billion.
Boeing and Northrup Grumman will join a White House-backed program to help smaller U.S.-based suppliers increase the use of 3D printing and other advanced manufacturing technologies.
Environmentalists are objecting to a plan by big consumer brands to modify packaging labels to say polypropylene food packaging is “widely recyclable,” underscoring the prevailing confusion and inconsistency of plastic recycling standards.
Global COVID-19 fatalities are up 35% the past four weeks, according to the WHO, which warned that risk factors are set to increase as cold weather approaches.
Russia reported 33,106 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, the most since mid-March. The CDC this week elevated the country to Level 3 on its COVID-19 travel warning list.
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Wacker Neuson Group is building a production line for skid steer and compact track loaders at its US facility in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. The facility will go on stream in the first quarter of 2015, initially manufacturing four models.
The US is the largest market for skid steer loaders. “Our strategy is ’in the region for the region’. So it makes sense for us to build skid steer loaders in the region where demand is strongest – North America,” explains Cem Peksaglam, CEO of Wacker Neuson SE. “We unveiled four loader models tailored to the needs of the North American market at the start of the year and received positive feedback from dealers and customers alike. Producing these products in North America will speed up time-to-market and enable us to adapt these high-quality, powerful machines more rapidly to the specific customer requirements of this core market.”
“We took feedback from contractors and users in the region who regularly work with these machines, and channeled these insights into the development of our new skid steer loaders. Our dealers and customers were quickly won over by the high-quality components as well as the new, even more user-friendly cab and powerful performance capabilities of our skid steer loaders,” outlines Christopher Barnard, Regional President of Wacker Neuson in North America. “The new skid steer loader series rounds off our portfolio of compact machines in North America, making us an even more attractive partner for dealers.” The four models will initially only be distributed via the US and Canadian dealer network.
With a presence in the United States since 1957, the Wacker Neuson facility in Menomonee Falls near Milwaukee was built in 1986 and recently again expanded in 2012. Covering an area of 260,000 square meters, the site is home to the Wacker Neuson Corporation headquarters and its research and development departments. The company also produces trowels for the concrete technology business field here as well as rammers, rollers and trench rollers for the compaction business field and generators and pumps for the worksite technology field. From 2015 on, Menomonee Falls will also be producing the skid steer loaders SW24 and SW28 with payloads of 2,400 and 2,800 pounds respectively (around 1.1 and 1.4 tons) while the compact track loaders ST35 and ST45 will have payloads of 3,500 and 4,500 pounds respectively (around 1.6 and 2.1 tons). Concurrently, a local development team is working on further models to broaden the line.
Up until now, Wacker Neuson produced skid steer loaders at its Hörsching site in Austria. “Demand for our dumpers and excavators is growing worldwide. We will be using the free capacity at Hörsching from 2015 on to expand our dumper and excavator production capabilities here. Thus, there will be no layoffs at the site,” adds Peksaglam. “Our current skid steer loader models for North America were jointly developed by teams in Austria and the US. So we will also have access to in-depth expertise and a wealth of experience in the development and production of skid steer loaders at the new site.” The facility in Hörsching, near Linz, has been in operation since 2012 and is a cutting-edge production facility for compact equipment.
Today's top stories


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The first teaser trailer for "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" premiered yesterday, and the promise of seeing Jolie and Pfeiffer together for the first time is driving Twitter wild.
Danny DeVito as Wolverine? More than 13K fans sign petition to make it happen: ‘He is the obvious choice here’
Danny DeVito fans are now calling for the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star to take over the high-profile role of superhero Wolverine. News | Yahoo Entertainment
I see you, Meryl. News | Yahoo Entertainment
The one carryall tote bag to add to your wardrobe stat. At $ 10, it's a crazy steal. Fashion | Yahoo lifestyle


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Xbox Support is surely one of the top on the market when it comes to responding to problems related to their consoles and this is just another example of that. They posted the following tweet on Xbox Support Twitter after initial reports about Xbox consoles crashing with NBA 2K22:
Although it's been an issue for some time on Xbox, even more mention of console crashes came up in recent months about people experiencing major issues trying to specifically play NBA 2K22 on Xbox Series X or S as we've reported ourselves a few days back.
When trying to load NBA 2K22 on Xbox Series X/S, several players have reported the system crash, followed by an error message saying that the console is designed to shut down automatically due to insufficient ventilation. It is possible that there are no ventilation issues in console players, but instead an issue is triggering it.
NBA 2K22 hasn't been the sole game to suffer from issues because other players started to write recently about how they were getting the exact message when trying to play Madden 22 and FIFA 22 also, FIFA 22 only accessible in the EA Play 10 hour free trial as of now.
This is more intriguing since the game of 2K Sports and two from EA Sports have led to this mistake the majority of which are to be sports-related games as well. The issue persists a few days later, according to the Xbox Status page. It is still displaying an issue in NBA 2K22, but it's close to being fixed.
Want to learn more about Madden 22 Coins at https://www.mmoexp.com/Nfl-22/Coins.html


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Verbatim South Africa gets South African ownershipBy Staff Writer 7 November 2016
Data storage technology company, Verbatim Ltd. - a wholly-owned company of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation - has transferred its South African entity to CrossAfrica Holdings (Pty) Ltd, as a going concern, with effect from 1 October 2016. FULL STORY >
Verbatim launches new portable storage solutions for MacBy Ryan Noik 7 September 2011
Verbatim has launched two new portable hard drives particularly for Apple Mac users. FULL STORY >
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Two of Australia’s heading bitcoin exchanges, CoinTree and CoinLoft, have announced this week new services permitting users to squeeze a accumulation of altcoins including ether, a cryptocurrency that powers a Ethereum network.
Alongside their determined services that have essentially focused on creation bitcoin permitted to a ubiquitous public, they have now streamlined a routine of appropriation ether.
As of Monday 13th of June, CoinTree users will be means to barter bitcoin for a accumulation of renouned altcoins including ether, litecoin and DAO tokens; and CoinLoft users creation deposits will now have a choice of purchasing sky or bitcoin.
‘Ethereum is an sparkling plan with good intensity in a area of intelligent contracts. ETH has been removing a lot of courtesy in new months and we are unapproachable to offer a business this option.’
David Temple, Coin Loft Co-founder.
The pierce comes as acquire news for Australians meddlesome in exploring altcoins and ushers in a new turn of entrance to ether, a formerly formidable procession requiring a use of mixed services.
‘While we continue to concentration a efforts and support on bitcoin, we essay to reduce entrance barriers for all Australians meddlesome in cryptocurrencies and are vehement to announce this simplified use for shopping altcoins.’


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Square Enix Worth - Can Sony, Microsoft Buy The Final Fantasy Devs? Acquisition Scenarios Explained (UPDATED)
UPDATE: Square Enix denied the M&A interest rumors with an official statement. Original story below.
On April 16 early morning JST, CTFN published a report mentioning Square Enix has received Merger&Acquisition interest, the CTFN report was also cited by Bloomberg Japan (Thanks, Yahoo Japan), the Square Enix stock worth at the Tokyo Stock Exchange has been increasing rapidly, showing the market definitely bought into these M&A rumors, and “スクエニ買収” “Square Enix acquisition” is trending in Japan. Which company could buy Square Enix, and is it possible for a non-Japanese company like Microsoft or Tencent to do it?
Square Enix or Square Enix Holdings?
According to the reports, it’s unclear whether the possible M&A deals concern Square Enix, or Square Enix Holdings as a whole. This is a very important detail.
Because it’s crucial to note that like many other Japanese brands such as Sega or Konami, games are ultimately only one of the many sectors Square Enix Hodlings operates in. With its subsidiary Square Enix.
Square Enix Holdings as a whole isn’t a games company, but an Entertainment company. This points out to video games, but also mobile, arcades, cloud gaming, or manga.
- FINAL FANTASY 16 – Is FF16 really a PS5 exclusive?
Square Enix and manga
Square Enix has its own manga editing house, Gangan, which is one of the biggest in Japan right after mastodon like Shueisha and Kodansha. Through Gangan, Square Enix published popular manga titles such as Full Metal Alchemist, Seto no Hanayome, Soul Eater, Goblin Slayer. High Score Girl, The Apothecary Diaries, or Eiyuu Kyoushitsu. Manga adaptations of all Square Enix games, like the Kingdom Hearts series, are published by Gangan too.
- TWEWY SEQUEL – Everything you should know
Worth, analyzing who could buy the Final Fantasy devs
According to Bloomberg, Square Enix’ digital entertainment business accounted to 72% of its total sales at the end of the fiscal year of March 2020. And that while mobile is a huge part of Square Enix, and that the mobile market is huge, its growth is currently decelerating. Lastly, the Covid-19 pandemic has obviously affected Square Enix in 2020 as well. Lastly, Square Enix has a net worth of $1.3 billion.
Taking all the above into account, if Square Enix Holdings as a whole is under Merge&Acquisition talks, it’s very likely to be acquired by another Japanese company such as Sony.
- NIER – Check out this Kaine cosplay
Sure, Square Enix Holdings doesn’t own a casino in South Korea like Sega, or tons of gyms in Japan like Konami. But it still seems legally nearly impossible to me for a non-Japanese company like Microsoft to take over Square Enix Holdings as a whole, from arcades to manga. If Square Enix alone, the video games section, is sold though, that’s another story.
Right now, Square Enix is working on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, along with several other projects, including Final Fantasy XVI, FF7 Remake Part 2, The NieR Replicant remaster, or Dragon Quest games.


text: In what it calls a “landmark enforcement action,” the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Order (NAL) which addresses the illegal marketing of GPS, cell, and other signal jamming devices to U.S. consumers over the Internet by C.T.S. Technology Co., Limited (C.T.S.), a Chinese manufacturer and retailer of wireless communications products. Following an extensive undercover operation conducted by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, the FCC determined that C.T.S. has allegedly marketed 285 models of signal jamming devices to U.S. consumers for more than two years. Accordingly, the FCC proposes C.T.S. receive the maximum penalty permitted by statute of $34,912,500. With the release of the NAL, the FCC intends to put all jamming manufacturers and retailers on notice. The following statement warns of the possibility of more enforcement actions: “Given the relative ease with which U.S. consumers may purchase illegal jammers over the Internet, we will aggressively target the retail platforms, like C.T.S., that are conducting and enabling illegal activity.” Also, in the NAL, the FCC warns consumers to take note that purchasing a cell, GPS, or other signal jamming device online and having it shipped into the U.S. via the U.S. mail or other transport or courier service is unlawful and may subject them to civil and criminal penalties.